Roller back chair



Nov. 25, 1969 0. K. KILCUP 3,480,007

ROLLER BACK CHAIR Filed Sept. '7, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dillon K. l/(i/cup,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Nov. 25, 1969 D. K. KILCUP 3,480,007

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Nov. 25, 1969 D. K. KILCUP ROLLER BACK CHAIR Filed Sept. '7, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGURE 5 GURE 6 Fl/GURE 7 AT-i'oRNEY.

United States Patent ROLLER BACK CHAIR Dillon K. Kilcup, 2907 Monroe St., Spokane, Wash. 99205 Filed Sept. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 666,041 Int. Cl. A61h 15/00, 23/02 US. Cl. 128-58 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An upholstered chair embodying a roller mechanism My invention relates generally to a chain having a roller movable along its back and more particularly to apparatus for accomplishing this motion of a roller by use of an endless chain driving linkage.

Heretofore it appeared desirable to provide a chair, particularly of the overstuffed variety, with some means of providing pleasurable massaging sensations for a user of a chair and in response to this-desire various chairs accomplishing this objective have become known.

Such chairs have evolved in two classes, firstly those using a vibrator massager of one sort or another, and secondly those using a roller or other similar massaging device moving over a regulated course. Chairs of the first class have become well known in the art, but chairs of the second class, although known, have not become particularly popular. This lack of popularity has resulted from lack of an appropriate mechanical motion of reasonable cost and durability, to provide the desired motion and in lack of such a motion that causes pleasurable sensations in a user comparable with those provided by the vibratory type mechanism. With these throughs in mind, the instant invention was conceived. In so doing it is:

A principal object of my invention to provide a chair having a roller member movable cyclicly up and down along its back by an endless chain-type driving means.

A further object of my invention to provide a device of the nature aforesaid that has rotatably mounted roller massage member that rotates during lineal motion along the chair back to minimize frictional contact between roller and chair cover.

A further object of my invention to provide a device of the nature aforesaid wherein the massaging roller may be of a compound, eccentric nature to provide a more pleasant massage than caused by a unitary cylindrical roller.

A still further object of my invention to provide a device of the nature aforesaid that is adaptable to be installed as an addition within the framework of an ordinary upholstered chair of commerce without major modifications thereof.

A still further object of my invention to provide roller motion of a continuous nature up and down a chair back without requiring stoppage and reversal of the mechanism to return the roller.

A still further object of my invention to provide such a roller back chair that is of new and novel design, of simple and economic manufacture, of rugged and durable nature, and otherwise well adapted to the uses for which it is intended.

3,480,007 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification and the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application. In carrying out the objects of my invention, however, it is to be understood that its essential features are susceptible of change in design and structural arrangement, with only one preferred and practical embodiment being illustrated, as required.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application and wherein like numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a reclining-type upholstered chair, wherein my invention is embodied.

FIGURE 2 is a partially cutaway, orthographic side view of the chair of FIGURE 1, taken essentially on the line 22 thereon, in the direction indicated by the arrows, with covering partially removed to show my invention in place from this aspect.

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the chair of FIGURE 1, with the forward back-covering removed, taken essentially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 in the direction indicated by the arrows thereon, to show the various parts of my invention, their configuration and arrangement, from this aspect.

FIGURE 4 is a rearward view of the same structure taken on a similar plane looking in an opposite direction as indicated by the line 4-4 on FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an isometric surface view of a species of compound eccentric disk roller particularly adapted to massage the back as it moves.

FIGURE 6 is an orthographic cross-sectional view of FIGURE 5, taken on the line 6-6, in the direction indicated by the arrows thereon.

FIGURE 7 is a partial, cutaway isometric view of the bearing structure supporting the roller shaft of my invention, showing the details of construction and communication between bearing and roller chain.

Referring now to the drawing in more detail and particularly to that of FIGURE 1, there is seen an ordinary upholstered foot-rest chair of commerce including seat 10 with movable foot-rest 11 intercommunicating for joint motion with back 12, supported between right side 13 and left side 14, each respectively terminating in right armrest 15 and left armrest 16. Chairs of this nature commonly have a mechanical linkage between back 12 and footrest 11 requiring the footrest to extend forwardly and upwardly upon motion of the back downwardly and rearwardly. This chair feature is desirable though not essential to my invention. Such chairs are commonly constructed with padding and external upholstery over and about an internal peripheral-type frame generally defining chambers in the interior of the several chair parts.

The back member of such chair is formed with similar upright paired opposed side member 17 structurally joined by at least one cross member 18 at the top, all such members defining an interior void within the back 12. This void is necessary for installation and operation of my invention in such a chair.

Supporting my invention proper is secondary peripheral frame 19 formed from paired opposed L shaped track sides 20 joined by top cross support 21 and bottom cross support 22. The sizing of this member is such as to fit immediately within the said inner surface of the peripheral chair back frame and the member is structurally fastened in this position, preferably by releasable means such as screwing or bolting.

Top cross support 21 is provided with U shaped, forwardly projecting upper backing bar 23 and the lower 3 back frame is provided with a similar lower backing bar 24, each bar projecting forwardly to substantially the plane of the finished upholstered surface of the chair back. Elongate sheet-like canvas backing member communicates between these bars to provide a surface for roller 26 to roll against.

Roller 26 is carried on axially aligned roller shaft 27, preferably irrotatably but not necessarily so. Shaft 27 is of such length as to just fit horizontally within secondary peripheral frame 19 and is provided in its lateral extensions with rotatably mounted guide Wheels 28. These guide wheels 28 are provided with appropriate lateral motion limiting devices to maintain them in a position for substantially vertical motion along the inwardly projecting flange of side track 20. The lateral extension of roller 26 is such as to leave the portions 29 of shaft 27 unoccupied for appropriate lateral motion of bearings 30 therealong.

The bearings are compound, as best illustrated in the detailed view of FIGURE 7 of the accompanying drawings. Each hearing has inner race 31 journaling shaft 27 for rotation and outer race 32 communicating by yoke 33 to pins of the driving chains 34; inner race 31 is provided for sliding lateral motion along shaft 27 between roller 26 and wheels 28.

Paired similar, endless, roller link chains 34 are carried in the lateral part of secondary frame 19 by upper idler cogs 35 and lower driving cogs 36, each cog being irrotatably carried upon jack shafts 37, 38 rotatably supported by cross members 21, 22 respectively. Cogs 35, 36 are so sized and positioned that the course of travel of chains 34 falls laterally within the vertical path described by motion of laterally medial parts 29 of shaft 27 when it moves the chain back. Yoke 33 communicates by pins 39 with chains 34 so that hearing 30 will of necessity move upwardly and downwardly in alternate cycles in response to lineal motion of chain 34 in one direction. The sliding of bearing 30 on shaft 27 is obviously necessary to accommodate this motion.

Jack shafts 38 also irrotatably carry motor belt pulleys 40. Driving motor 41 is positioned in the lower portion of the seat section chamber of the chair with its driving pulley 42 projecting rearwardly, substantially coplanar with the motor belt pulley 40. Endless driving belt 43 communicates between motor driving pulley 42 and pulleys to cause the rotation of jack shafts 38. Preferably adjustable idler pulleys 44 are provided in the course of belt 43, as illustrated, to keep the belt taut and in proper course.

Since there may be some slight difference in length of chains 34, from original structure or wear, and since if there be such difference, its effect on roller motion would be additive, it is desirable to provide an appropriate correction for this condition. A simple method of doing this is to rotatably mount one of the driving cogs 36 on shaft 38 so that only one side of the chain drives the roller.

The form of roller illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 7 is a unitary structure with central core 47 and preferably padded periphery 48 adapted to rotate as a unit. A modified form of roller structure which oftentimes gives a more pleasurable massage sensation is shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6. This compound roller has a plurality of cylindrical disks rotatably mounted upon shaft 27 slightly non-symmetrically or eccentrically. These disks 45 may be formed of solid rigid material or may carry a peripheral padding as desired. With this composite structure, as the massaging cylinder moves lineally at least a part of the periphery of some of the disks 45 will come into surface contact with the inner surface of canvas member 25 and because of the relative motion between the members at the point of contact a rotation of some of disks 45 upon shaft 27 will occur. This motion will obviously be relatively random, depending upon conditions of contact, but will tend to cause an irregular motion of the surface 4 of the disks 45 to cause a pleasurable massaging sensation somewhat similar. to that normally experienced by a hand massage. Obviously, neither type of roller would change the function of this member in my invention.

From the foreging description of my invention, its operation may readily be understood. The mechanism is formed as specified, installed in a chair as described and power provided for its operation. The chair is adjusted to the appropriate position desired by the operator, the mechanism turned on and the subject seated in the chair. The roller 26 then will proceed in its normal cyclic course upwardly and downwardly against the back of the subject to cause a pleasurable massage sensation.

Since the chair back may normally be rearwardly inclined, the degree of force of operators back against roller may be by this means regulated. The use of a footrest also effects this force to some degree by changing the body muscular tension and position relative the chair.

It is to be noted that in using my invention the roller continuously follows about its regulated course up and down the chair back without any stoppage or reversal of its motion to accomplish this course.

It is further to be noted that the invention may be installed in an ordinary commercial chair without major structural modification.

The foregoing description of my invention is necessarily of a detailed specific nature so that a specific embodiment of it may be set forth as required, but it is to be understood that various modifications, rearrangement .and multiplication of parts may be resorted to without departing from its spirit, essence or scope.

Having thusly described my invention, what I desire to protect by Letters Patent, and

What I claim is:

1. An auxiliary roller structure adapted for use as a massaging element in a chair back having a peripheral frame and a central chamber, including, in combination:

a secondary roller frame adapted to fit the peripheral back frame of said chair;

a roller carried on a roller shaft by said secondary frame for oscillatory vertical movement therealong up and down the back of said chair;

at least one endless flexible motion transmitter carried for linear motion parallel to the course of travel of said roller and at a spaced distance therefrom by paired cogs positioned at the vertical limits of said motion;

bearings, journaling said roller shaft for rotation being slidable therealong, structurally communicating with aforesaid flexible power transmitter; and

means of providing linear motion to said roller chain.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said roller is further characterized by:

plural, individual cylindrical elements each eccentrically, rotatably carried on said roller shaft.

3. A roller back chair of the nature aforesaid, comprising, in combination:

a chair having a peripheral frame defining a central chamber at least in the back member thereof;

a secondary roller frame within the peripheral frame of the back of said chair including paired opposed side tracks structurally positioned relative said back peripheral frame to extend upwardly substantially parallel therealong;

an elongate roller carried on a roller shaft with paired,

laterally positioned wheels adapted to move vertically along said side tracks;

bearings between said wheels and said roller, journaling said roller shaft for rotation, said bearings adapted to slide lineally along the laterally outward parts of said roller shaft;

at least one endless flexible power transmitter provided for vertical motion parallel to :and at a spaced distance from the course of travel of said roller bv paired opposed cogs at the vertical limits of motion of the said bearings, said cogs being carried by said secondary roller frame; and

means of moving aforesaid flexible power transmitter continuously along aforesaid course, to cyclicly move said roller upwardly and downwardly along secondary roller frame.

4. The invention of claim 3 further characterized by:

said roller comprising a plurality of individual cylindrical elements each eccentrically, rotatably mounted on said roller shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,517,646 12/1951 Cameron 12858 XR 3,322,116 5/1967 Murphy et a1. 12857 XR L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner 

